Tough Little Boys
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: Well, I'm a grown man, but as strong as I am, sometimes it's hard to believe how one little girl with little blond curls can totally terrify me...


Oh, how I love songfics. LOL. This one was inspired by the Medal Of Mary ep, and uses Gary Allan's Tough Little Boys (which I've always wanted to use in a fic, but have never found the right ship for). I also used Dr. Seuss's The Places You'll Go. Such a wonderful little book for kids of all ages. Lots of fluff and family stuff in this fic. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

IPSIPSIPSIPS

"Marshall is a baby! Marshall is a baby!"

Silently miserable, Marshall Mann just buried his nose in his book and remained quiet. He was seven years old, but the teachers were already talking about moving him ahead a grade because of his phenomenal reading skills and grades in every subject. The other kids tormented him for it.

One kid in particular, a boy named Joey, loved to tease Marshall. He was big for his age and a slow reader, and that had turned him into a bully. His favorite target was Marshall, because he didn't really fight back. He just sat there and read his books.

"Marshall is a stupid baby!"

Marshall gasped when his book was suddenly snatched out of his hands. "Give that back!"

Joey sneered and waved the book in Marshall's face. "Make me!"

Moving fast, Marshall lunged to his feet. Then he snatched his book away from Joey.

Infuriated, Joey slapped the book out of Marshall's hand. Then he swung, his fist connecting with Marshall's chin.

Marshall felt pain spread through his face, and tears welled up in his eyes. But he didn't cry. He just stared at Joey, his little fists clenched.

"Ooh, what's the baby gonna do? Is the baby gonna cry?" Joey taunted.

Around them, a small group of their classmates gathered, egging Joey on.

Joey grinned, puffing his chest out.

Marshall bowed his head, as though he was already beating. He could see Joey's feet inch forward, and after a second, Marshall launched himself at Joey.

Joey was caught off guard, and both boys hit the concrete, with Marshall landing on top.

Knowing that he probably couldn't beat Joey, Marshall took advantage of his shock and started to hit his face.

By the time the teachers intervened, Marshall had a black eye and a busted lip. Joey was crying. His nose was bloody, both eyes were bruised, and his cheek was scraped from hitting the concrete.

Satisfied, Marshall hung his head and followed the teacher as she scolded him.

But on the inside, he was proud of himself for standing up to Joey.

_I never once backed down from a punch_

_Well, I'd take it square on the chin_

_But I found out fast, a bully's just that_

_And you've got to stand up to him_

The teachers called Marshall's and Joey's parents, and when his dad arrived, Marshall quietly followed him to the family car.

Once they were buckled up, Seth Mann looked at his youngest son. He couldn't help the surge of pride he felt. He didn't condone violence in his family, but from what he'd heard, the other boy was the class bully. Marshall had come home a few times with bruises and scrapes because of him, and it seemed that Marshall had finally stood up for himself.

That was definitely something Seth could be proud of.

Marshall finally looked up at his dad. "Are you mad, Dad?"

Letting out a breath, Seth reached over and ruffled his son's hair. "No, Marshall. I'm proud of you."

A smile slowly crept across Marshall's face. "You are?"

"Of course." Seth started the car. "But if your mom asks, tell her I gave you a stern talking to."

Marshall beamed. "Yes, sir."

"That's my boy." They pulled out of the school parking lot. "Now, how about some pie?"

"Yeah!"

_So I didn't cry when I got a black eye_

_As bad as it hurt, I just grinned_

_But when tough little boys grow up to be dads_

_They turn into big babies again_

"Come on, Norah. You can do it."

Norah stared at the man in front of her, and she smiled.

Shaking his head, Marshall sat down on the floor a few feet away from his daughter. Mary was in the kitchen making lunch, and Marshall was taking care of the baby.

At fifteen months old, Norah was absolutely precious. She had thick blond curls, big blue eyes, and her mother's beautiful smile. Marshall had fallen in love with her the first time he held her in his arms right after she was born. And in the months since her arrival, their lives had changed so much. When Norah was just a few months old, Mary's father had returned after three decades of being gone, and it wasn't long after that Marshall ended his engagement to his girlfriend, Abigail. It really hadn't come as a surprise to either of them. His father had put it so succinctly when he asked Marshall who was the woman he would be there for at four in the morning?

Mary. It was always Mary.

He smiled at Norah, who grinned at him in return. Not long after he and Mary began dating, Mark had gotten a job offer in New York. He had told Mary that he wanted to be involved in Norah's life, but this was his dream job. Mary had been perturbed, but in the end, she couldn't stop him from going. And that was when Marshall slowly took the role of father to Norah.

Now she was starting to walk and talk, and she called him Daddy.

"What are you doing to Bug, Marshall?" Mary's voice rang out from the kitchen.

Marshall grinned. "Nothing, Mare. Just trying to get her to walk."

"She'll walk when she's ready!"

Norah suddenly pushed herself to her feet, and Marshall lit up.

"I think she's ready now, Mary. Get in here!"

Mary rushed out of the kitchen and into the living room. Norah was on her feet, and Marshall was watching her intently. "Hey, Bug. You gonna walk?" Mary eased herself down beside Marshall.

The little girl giggled and took a little step.

Marshall's heart leapt into his throat, and suddenly he was terrified. What if she fell? What if she hurt herself? He had to keep himself from swooping in and picking Norah up.

Mary seemed to read his mind, and she gave him a look. "She's fine, Marshall." She held her arms out to Norah. "Come on, sweetheart. Come to Mommy."

Norah took a few steps toward her parents, but when she was just within reach of them, she fell on her bottom. Immediately her lower lip began to tremble.

Marshall started to reach for her, but Mary stopped him. "She can do it, Marshall." Then she looked at Norah. "Bug, you can do it. Come to Mommy."

Norah hesitated, then got to her feet again. After a moment, she wobbled forward again, until she was in her daddy's arms.

Sighing in relief, Marshall held his daughter close and kissed her head.

_Scared me to death_

_When you took your first steps_

_Well, I'd fall every time you fell down_

Four years later, Marshall found himself feeling absolutely miserable. His little girl, his baby, was bouncing around the house. Her thick blond hair had been pulled into a ponytail, and her little face was freshly scrubbed.

It was her first day of kindergarten, and her daddy was a wreck.

"Daddy!"

Marshall looked up from the paper he'd been trying to read unsuccessfully. "Yes, honey?"

Norah beamed at him. She was a brilliant child, and though she wasn't Marshall's daughter biologically, Mary claimed that she got her intelligence from him.

He smiled back at her and kissed her forehead. "You look beautiful, princess."

"Thank you, Daddy!"

"Okay, time to go." Mary waddled into the kitchen, grabbing Norah's lunchbox.

Marshall couldn't help staring at her. This pregnancy had been a shock, and at first, Marshall wasn't sure what to think. But then it really sank in, and he was thrilled. They were going to have two children.

"Stop staring at my ass, Marshall." Mary tucked the lunchbox into Norah's backpack, then helped her daughter put it on. "You ready, Bug?"

"Yeah!" Norah enthused.

Marshall got up and took Norah's hand. He couldn't believe she was already starting school. It felt like only yesterday when he had been changing her diapers and teaching her how to walk. Had time really gone that fast?

Mary and Marshall led Norah outside, just as a yellow school bus was pulling up. They each kissed Norah, then watched as she climbed onto the school bus and sat down. The doors closed, and Marshall looked at Mary.

"Go inside and take a break, Mare. I have something I need to do."

Mary gave him a curious look, but she went back inside to sit down and rest her feet.

Once she was inside, Marshall retrieved his keys from his pocket and got into his car. Then he followed his daughter's school bus to the school, all the while wiping at the tears that fell down his cheeks.

_And your first day of school_

_I cried like a fool_

_And I followed your school bus to town_

That afternoon, Marshall stood in front of their house, his arms crossed over his chest. Norah's school bus was supposed to arrive any minute, and he was getting more impatient. Mary was inside, taking a nap. She had more energy with this baby, but she was late in the pregnancy and Marshall refused to let her overexert herself.

The school bus finally came down the street, and Marshall relaxed a little. He didn't like being away from his baby for so long, even when he was at work and something came up that kept him from going home. He used to be okay with it, but since Norah and Mary, he had a much harder time with it. He wanted to do this right, because she wouldn't be a child forever.

The bus came to a stop a few moments later, and Norah bounded off of it. "Daddy!" She ran toward him.

Grinning, Marshall dropped to one knee and held his arms out for her. "Hi, Norah!"

She flung her little body into his arms and hugged him tight. Then she kissed his cheek. "I missed you!"

Tears welled up in his eyes. "I missed you, too, angel." He kissed her hair and stood up, holding her firmly against his chest.

Norah settled her head in the crook of his neck, one arm wrapping itself loosely around him.

Happy to have Norah back in his arms, Marshall carried her into the house.

_I didn't cry when Old Yeller died_

_At least not in front of my friends_

_But when tough little boys grow up to be dads_

_They turn into big babies again _

Later that night, Mary, Marshall and Norah sat at the dinner table. Mary had been pleasantly surprised to learn that Marshall really knew how to cook, and late in this pregnancy, she had happily relegated any cooking duties to him.

Norah stuck her fork into her spaghetti and twirled it awkwardly. "This is good, Daddy!"

"I'm glad you like it, Nor." He smiled at her.

"Oh, yes." Mary took a drink of her milk. "And Daddy can give you your bath."

Norah giggled.

Marshall just shook his head, but within a half hour, he was putting Norah in the bathtub while Mary put the food away. He loved giving their daughter her bath, and unlike some men, he never grew tired of spending time with Norah. He couldn't understand how any father wouldn't want to spend time with their child.

After rinsing the spaghetti sauce from her hair and making sure there was no more on her arms and legs, Marshall pulled Norah out of the bathtub and wrapped a fluffy towel around her. Then he carried her into her bedroom and dried her off before letting her pick out her pajamas and book for him to read to her. It was their nightly ritual, something he missed very rarely.

Once she was in her pajamas, Norah climbed into her bed and handed her daddy her book. Then she snuggled under the covers.

Marshall tucked her in before opening the book. "Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places, you're off and away."

He couldn't help reflecting on those words as he read them. Today had been her first day of school, her first step toward gaining independence. All too soon she wouldn't need him anymore, and that thought broke his heart.

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose."

As Marshall read, Norah's eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Finally she fell asleep, but Marshall kept reading until he'd finished the book. He hated leaving anything unfinished.

"So be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea, you're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!"

Slowly Marshall closed the book. Norah was sleeping peacefully, and he kissed her forehead. Then he stood up, putting her book away before he left her room.

_Well, I'm a grown man, but as strong as I am_

_Sometimes it's hard to believe_

_How one little girl with little blond curls_

_Can totally terrify me_

He slipped into his bedroom, expecting Mary to be asleep as well. But she was sitting up in their bed and reading a book. The soft light from the bedside lamp cast the room in a glow, and she was breathtaking. He stood in the door, watching her for a few moments before he went to the bed.

Mary looked up from her book. "Is Bug sleeping?"

"Yep. A round with Dr. Seuss, and she was out like a light." He removed his pants and slid into bed with his wife.

Mary closed her book and put it away before turning her lamp off. Then she turned toward her husband and snuggled into his side.

Marshall slid his arm around Mary and kissed her softly. "She's growing up too fast."

"I know, Marshall. But you can't keep her from growing up."

"Of course I can't. But does it have to happen so fast?"

"We can't stop time."

Marshall sighed and drew his wife closer. One large hand settled over her abdomen, where their baby was safe and protected inside of her. "How are you feeling, Mare?"

"Ready to explode."

He chuckled softly, allowing his hand to slip under her shirt and gently caress her abdomen. "You look amazing."

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

He smirked. "I'll show you exactly where it will get me."

And he did.

_If you were to ask, my wife would just laugh_

_She'd say, "I know all about men._

_How when tough little boys grow up to be dads_

_They turn into big babies again."_

Two weeks after Norah started school, Mary went into labor. And after eight long hours, their son was placed in his arms.

Little Samuel Marshall Mann weighed in at a respectable seven and-a-half pounds, and Marshall felt himself falling in love for a third time as he held his son.

Stan was the one who brought Norah to the hospital a few hours later, since Jinx and Brandi were already there. Marshall was standing in front of the nursery window, watching his son, when his daughter came running up to him.

"Daddy!"

He caught her in his arms and swung her around, then brought her to the window. "Guess what? You have a brother!"

"A brother?"

"Yes. His name is Sam."

Norah gave that some thought. "I like Sam."

Marshall chuckled. "Good."

Norah peered through the window, and Marshall watched her. She was growing up so fast, and he knew that one day soon, he would be watching her graduation, then giving her away at her wedding.

The thought that she would no longer need him one day left him deeply saddened, and he held her tight.

That was still a long way off, so for now, he would hold her and pretend that she would always be this little.

_I know one day I'll give you away_

_And I'm gonna stand there and smile_

_But when I get home, and I'm all alone_

_I'll sit in your room for a while_

The next day, Marshall and Mary were happy to be home with their little family. Jinx had surprised them by throwing a welcome home party, but she had at least had the presence of mind to keep it short, especially after Mary disappeared with Sam into her bedroom.

Marshall kept Norah entertained until the guests left. Then he took her into his bedroom, where his wife and son were.

Mary looked up when Marshall and Norah entered the bedroom. "Hey, Bug."

Norah climbed onto the bed and snuggled into her mother's side. "Hi, Mommy."

Smiling, Marshall sat on the bed as well. Sam was cuddled in his mother's arms, and Marshall reached out, letting Sam's tiny fingers grasp his long finger.

Norah looked surprised. "He's holdin' your hand!"

"Yes, he is, sweetheart." He gently took Norah's finger and placed it in Sam's palm. Sam's fingers curled around Norah's, just as he'd done with his father.

The little girl lit up. "Now he's holdin' my hand!"

"He loves his big sister."

Smiling, Norah leaned over and kissed her brother's forehead. Then she scooted over to her daddy and climbed into his lap.

Marshall wrapped his arms around her and rested his head against hers. He loved his little family more than anything.

_I didn't cry when Old Yeller died_

_At least not in front of my friends_

_But when tough little boys grow up to be dads_

_They turn into big babies again_

Once Norah was in bed sleeping that night, Marshall eased into his bedroom and went to the crib, where his son slept peacefully. He spent a few minutes watching Sam, just thinking about all the twists and turns his life had taken to lead him here, to this very moment. He had always hoped that he would one day have a family of his own, but he had never guessed it would happen like this.

"Marshall?"

He smiled at his wife's sleepy voice. "Yeah?"

"Come to bed."

"I'll be there in a second." He leaned over and gently touched his son's back. Tears slid down his cheek unchecked, and he let them.

"I love you, Sam," he whispered. The baby continued to sleep, and Marshall lingered there for another minute before he finally joined his wife in their bed.

Yes, he was a lucky man, and he would never forget it.

_When tough little boys grow up to be dads_

_They turn into big babies again_

The End.

A/N: D'aww, Daddy Marshall! He's just so freaking sweet and so much fun to write. Thanks for reading, and please review!


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